{"id":2465860,"date":"2025-07-23T17:49:02","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T21:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-administration-unlawfully-blocked-head-start-payments-gao-says\/"},"modified":"2025-07-23T17:50:40","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T21:50:40","slug":"trump-administration-unlawfully-blocked-head-start-payments-gao-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-administration-unlawfully-blocked-head-start-payments-gao-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump administration unlawfully blocked Head Start payments, GAO says"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-administration-unlawfully-blocked-head-start-payments-gao-says%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2465860&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A recent report by the U.S. Goverment Accountability Office (GAO) concluded that the Trump administration unlawfully blocked funds allocated to the Head Start program,which provides <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/heres-what-each-of-bidens-42-executive-orders-will-actually-do\/\" title=\"Here\u2019s What Each Of Biden\u2019s 42 Executive Orders Will Actually Do\">early childhood education<\/a>,health,and nutritional services to low-income children nationwide. The GAO found that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) violated the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 by substantially reducing the disbursement of Head Start funds between January 20 and April 15 of fiscal year 2025, despite Congress having approved the funding. The GAO determined that HHS withheld appropriated funds without providing a legal justification and did not respond to the agency&#8217;s requests for information. the department, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.,disputed the GAO&#8217;s findings and stated that it did not impound the funds. The GAO emphasized the importance of the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >executive branch promptly obligating approved appropriations<\/a> and highlighted the legal protections ensuring congress&#8217;s control over federal spending.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Trump administration unlawfully blocked Head Start payments, GAO says<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2180496\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/products\/b-337202\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">new report<\/a> from Congress&rsquo;s independent watchdog concluded the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Trump-administration\/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22685542309&amp;gbraid=0AAAAAD8dCuxq6rjQ_ceK1Ky4Wu70wpMei&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwkILEBhDeARIsAL--pjwGqI5UDPdXc6wLRLLCt6v3KPclyRbRN3-PTyYOaT70L1vUiYiQbgoaAhteEALw_wcB\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Trump administration\">Trump administration<\/a> broke federal law by blocking the use of funds allocated to the <a href=\"https:\/\/headstart.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Head Start\">Head Start<\/a> program.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">The Government Accountability Office<\/a> determined that the Children and Families Services Programs within the Department of Health and Human Services violated the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/legal\/appropriations-law\/impoundment-control-act\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Impoundment Control Act \">Impoundment Control Act <\/a>of 1974 &ldquo;by withholding funds from expenditures&rsquo; intended for early childhood education. According to GAO, although Congress approved Head Start funding for fiscal 2025, HHS &ldquo;significantly reduced the rate of disbursement of funds for Head Start grant programs&rdquo; between Jan. 20 and April 15, compared to the same period in fiscal 2024.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3480170\/france-more-naps-public-need-work-more\/\">France suggests taking more naps despite telling public they need to &#8216;work more&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3480199\/tom-suozzi-bipartisan-support-share-plan-act\/\">Tom Suozzi gains bipartisan support for bill pressing companies to make employees stakeholders<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3480082\/mike-lawler-introduces-mamdani-act-to-investigate-government-run-grocery-stores\/\">Mike Lawler introduces &#8216;MAMDANI&#8217; Act to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mike-lawler-introduces-mamdani-act-to-investigate-government-run-grocery-stores-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Mike Lawler introduces \u2018MAMDANI\u2019 Act to investigate government-run grocery stores - Washington Examiner\">investigate government-run grocery stores<\/a><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>The watchdog said it contacted the Department of Health and Human Services, led since mid-February by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to gather facts and obtain the agency&rsquo;s legal interpretation of the matter, but &ldquo;HHS has not transmitted the requested information.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Given the absence of information from HHS, we have based this letter upon publicly available evidence,&rdquo; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gao.gov\/products\/b-337202?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=usgao\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">GAO <\/a>wrote. &ldquo;Because that evidence indicates that HHS withheld appropriated funds from expenditure, and because the burden to justify such withholdings rests with HHS and the executive branch, we conclude that HHS violated the ICA by withholding funds from expenditure.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The GAO reported that disbursements for the program, overseen by HHS, dropped sharply starting Jan. 20, the day President Donald Trump began his second term, and continued through April 25.<\/p>\n<p>Head Start provides educational, health, and nutritional services to low-income children in all 50 states through local grant recipients. The 1974 law safeguarded the separation of powers by prohibiting the executive branch from blocking the use of funds approved by Congress.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement provided to the <em>Washington Examiner <\/em>responding to the GAO&rsquo;s findings, HHS pushed back on the report&rsquo;s conclusion.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;HHS did not impound Head Start funds and disputes the conclusion of the GAO report,&rdquo; said Andrew Nixon, HHS director of communications. &ldquo;GAO should anticipate a forthcoming response from HHS to incorporate into an updated report.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3475881\/nih-still-blaming-foia-delays-on-the-pandemic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"NIH STILL BLAMING FOIA DELAYS ON THE PANDEMIC\"><strong>NIH STILL BLAMING FOIA DELAYS ON THE PANDEMIC<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The GAO delivers insights to Congress, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-faces-continued-legal-fights-over-firing-independent-agency-heads\/\" title=\"Trump faces continued legal fights over firing independent agency heads\">executive agency leaders<\/a>, and the public to help enhance the effectiveness of government operations.<\/p>\n<p>The agency cautioned that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gop-senator-asks-two-biden-cabinet-members-whether-high-ranking-officials-are-using-encrypted-apps-to-cloak-communications\/\" title=\"GOP Senator Asks Two Biden Cabinet Members Whether \u2018High Ranking\u2019 Officials Are Using Encrypted Apps To \u2018Cloak\u2019 Communications\">executive branch officials<\/a> are responsible for &ldquo;prudently obligat[ing] appropriations&rdquo; and noted that HHS failed to supply requested details regarding delays in disbursing funds to Head Start centers nationwide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2180496\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2180496\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GAO: Trump admin illegally withheld Head Start funds<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2657,"featured_media":2465862,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AP25204018676048-1.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[4106,59758,3634],"class_list":["post-2465860","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-administration","tag-head-start","tag-trump"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/AP25204018676048-1.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2465860","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2657"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2465860"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2465860\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2465865,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2465860\/revisions\/2465865"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2465862"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2465860"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2465860"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2465860"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}